Best crates?

I would go with a wire crate and a divider. I just think they will be easier to clean and more attractive in your house. Sorry I don't have a recomendation on a brand. I just got the one from Petsmart, and I think I only had 1 choice.

We are going to be getting a foster soon and I have the same problem although it doesn't involve the puppy. I have a wire crate for my dog and my BIL has a plastic one that I could have to use for the foster, but the plastic ones are so ugly. I want to buy a soft sided crate for Salem to travel with at some point, but I don't know if I should do it now and use it for the foster or just use the free but ugly plastic one.

I have no experience with puppies, but I have two different wire crates and a large soft crate.  Kenya's wire crate is a Precision Pet Suitcase Crate.  It seems a lot stronger than Coke's crate, which is one of those cheaper Life Stages crates.  Coke bent the door and bottom wires of his crate on the first day (we latched the top latch and didn't know there was a second bottom latch).  I much prefer the design and sturdiness of the PP crate, we just couldn't afford another one for Coke at the time.  The PP crate is SO easy to take down and put up.  I can actually slide it onto the back seat of the car and put it up while there, unlike the Life Stages crate, which does fold flat but it takes twice the space of the crate to unfold it and put it up, can't do it in the car.  Kenya is crate trained for soft crates as well, but I only soft crate her when I'm supervising or nearby (like down by the beach or at a dog show).  She won't try to get out, but if she REALLY got spooked, nylon and mesh aren't going to stop her.  Personally, I wouldn't ever use a soft crate when the dog is not supervised.  Both of our wire crates have permanent places in our house and have nice crate covers so they look nice and match the decor.

Go to dog.com, they have the best prices on crates!! We have the black wire crates in a large size for our two youngest Border Collies.  When we were babysittting my parents poodle we borrowed a soft crate and the first time we put him in it to run some errands he chewed through it....I believe the crates we have are in the best buys at dog.com.  Also they collapse easily if you want to take them on vacation..

I hope this helps! 

I bought a small plastic crate for Neiko when he was a pup and he out grew it in oh - a couple of months. So, I wouldn't recommend going that route. They just grow so fast those first few months you bring them home.

Now he has an XL wire crate, that I borrowed from a friend. It's big and takes up a lot of space but he likes it and he has plenty of room to move around. I've never had to use a divider either. 

precision pet wire crates are the best. its just my opinion but i have used them with great success. they are quite durable. 

Wire with a divider is my vote as well. That seems good for your situation.

I have two Midwest Life Stages (#1648DD, 48" Long x 30" Wide x 33" High, 2 doors) wire crates and I love them. They came from the ebay seller “for happydogs” and each one was under $100 including shipping with a free divider. Since they’re folding crates they aren’t the absolute sturdiest you can buy, but they’ve stood up wonderfully to my lab and pit bull. 

Dog_ma

1. Buy a wire crate big enough to house the grown pup, and use a divider for now. (Advantage - can sew pretty cover for it)
2. Use ugly plastic for now, and eventually transition to soft side.  (Soft side isn't hideous, but not as pretty as covered wire) 
3. Get a used or cheap wire crate for puppy stage, and transition to soft side later.

Yes, no, maybe on "used".

The plastic crate doesn't allow for size adjustment for house training.  "Cheap" means different things to different people.  Be very careful about the gauge wires used in a wire crate.  Weak wire crates (weak wires and/or welds) can impale or suffocate an active pup.

Weak Wire Crates - please read

Look for products that advertise the gauge of the wires (6-9 gauge, sometimes combined with gauges as high as 12).  Lower gauge wires are the strongest.  To be as strong as a 6-gauge crate, a 9-gauge crate would have to have more wires.  However, a crate with a 1" mesh and only 6-gauge wires can get pretty heavy.

Kennel Aire and Gorilla Tough are two of the strongest crates.  See this web page for a comparison of the two. 
 
Why Pay All That Money For Kennel Aire Crates? 
 
Note:  An average sized Labrador (60lbs), when flung by an accident, can impact with the force of a baby elephant.    During just a 30 mph collision a dog can exert a force of up to 20 times their bodyweight.   The best place for a crate while traveling is within the vehicle roll cage secured by human seatbelts (5,000 lbs tensile strength) or by stronger rope/chain. 

 Thanks everyone.  I've told my mother and husband all I want for Christmas is puppy stuff, so maybe I'll be getting a Gorilla crate for the holidays.

More than I want to spend, but the story about the puppy dying settled it in my mind.  

Dog ma-

The only crates in my car are Kennel Aires and you can find them on ebay.  They also don't rattle (well, the water pail does).

One doesn't have to buy the "best" crate on the market to adequately and safely contain a dog.  A Chihuahua doesn't need a crate strong enough for a Mastiff. 

When picking a crate be sure that you consider

• the size, strength, and temperament of the dog (now and when full grown),
• the strength and construction of the crate (wires and welds),
• the features of the crate (especially good doors and locks),
• the weight of the crate,
• whether the spacing is small enough for the dog,
• the spacing needed if the dog likes to chew on crates and other stuff, plus
• the cost of the crate and of the shipping.

My personal favorite is the Kennel Aire Professional Fold & Carry Cages (cheaper on eBay).  For me the large crate has the right balance of strength, wire spacing, weight, and features for home and car use. The 1" spacing helps to protect the car seat belts.    Forty pounds is about the most I can handle.

• Strong 1" wire spacing
• Tough, durable 9- and 12-gauge, 1" wire spacing
• Kennel Aire's unique cam lock system
• Easy set-up Fold & Carry design
• The large size (26" W. x 42" L. x 29-1/2" H.) is 40 lbs and $169.99 at DrsFosterSmith.com.

The Gorilla Tough Classic Fold & Carry Dog Cage:

• "Toughest fold & carry dog cage on the market" - guaranteed to last a lifetime
• Front and side door access
• Durable welded steel construction
• Closely spaced, heavy-duty 6- and 9-gauge wire, 1-1/2" wire spacing
• Dog-proof cam lock
• The large size (26" W. x 42" L. x 30" H.) is 50 lbs and $159.99 at DrsFosterSmith.com.

 Hmmm, maybe we'll try Kennel Aire.  Thank you all!  I do want a quality crate, since he's going to be a big boy. And I'd like to get him involved in dog events, so travel ease (and noise!) matters.

You guys are all so helpful.  I didn't have the first idea.  

Dog_ma

And I'd like to get him involved in dog events, so travel ease (and noise!) matters.

Do you know what kind of vehicle you going to use?  A wire crate is the safest way to transport a dog, but you have to be able to get the assembled crate into the vehicle or to open up the crate in the vehicle.  A crate that has to be completely disassembled to get it in and out of the car will get old very fast.

janet_rose

The Gorilla Tough Classic Fold & Carry Dog Cage:

This is the one I have and I really like it. I've had it since Rupert was a wee pup.